A Life of Sin
by DevlinV1
Summary: IN PROGRESS:2008 - A human priest tries to repay a belf for saving her life, but gets pulled into a twisted web of murder & vengeance, while also being accused of betraying the Alliance in the name of one elf that she has put all her faith in.
1. Chapter 1

**A Life of Sin  
By Archangel**

**_Chapter One_**  
The sounds of the forest soothed her

The sounds of the forest soothed her. The chirping of birds in the trees and the soft flutter of the gentle breeze was not alien to her ears, but something about being in the middle of the wood made all of the sounds seem different than what could be heard through an open window. Perhaps it was the slight chill of the shade, the rare sights of deer bounding through the thicket, or watching the patterns of sunlight dancing on the dirt path that brought it to life for her. Even as the priestess drew her cloak around her shoulders, there was warmth radiating from her heart outwards.

"Sister, we're nearly to Goldshire, are we not?" asked one of the girls in the back of the wagon.

"Yes... Are you growing impatient, Josephine?"

"Quite." Sister Isis smiled as the young girl sulked, glad that she was at least honest. "Perhaps I could walk beside the horses just for a little while? Just to stretch my legs?"

Isis nodded her ahead. Goldshire was close by and the woods here were safe, patrolled by guards from Stormwind, unlike the roads in Westfall where the People's Militia seemed to be constantly shorthanded. Plus, she understood all too well how the girl ached for more adventure in her life. She had once been the girl that couldn't sit still for longer than a few minutes herself, but she was thankful that the other four were content to sit in the back and practice their needlepoint while quietly chatting. It was a relief to see them at ease when one considered the dreadful place they had come from. The war torn villages to the east were no place for children.

The priestess was pulled from her thoughts as the horses began to neigh and jitter, pulling up short.

"Jo, back away before you get kicked," she warned, tightening her hold on the reins. "Get in the wagon."

"What's wrong, Sister?" another girl asked, leaning up to peer over the back of the bench.

"Get down. Be still all of you."

Isis listened carefully to the sounds around her as the horses continued to move in antsy fashion, refusing to go forward a single step until whatever had spooked them was gotten rid of. The birds overhead made no sound here. Not even the hushed chatter of a chipmunk could be heard. Isis narrowed her eyes, directing the children to hold tight and keep their heads down, the idea forming in her mind to force the horses onward in a full gallop and pray that soldiers were only right around the bend. She reached for the whip setting in its holder, gasping in surprise when a dagger embedded in the wood inches from her fingers. They were upon them in an instant. Bandits! A group of six to outnumber the single priestess and five teenage girls.

"Give us all of your goods and your horses and we'll let you walk free from here!" barked the supposed leader of the gang, his face masked by a red kerchief along with the others. "Protest and you shall be food for the wolves!"

"Very well!" Isis agreed, knowing their lives had greater value than anything they were carrying. "Girls, get out. Quickly. Leave your things." The terror in their eyes wasn't nearly as heartbreaking as the disbelief that came with it. All of their belongings were packed into the trunks that lined either side of the wagon's bed and Isis knew there was very little to be found in each case already. "I do hope you find satisfaction in stealing from orphans..." she muttered as the group began to rummage through their things already. "And may God have mercy upon your souls when you confess to Saint Peter all your sins."

"Would you find satisfaction in one of your precious tarts being my next sin, woman?" the leader sneered, bringing the point of his dagger near to her throat.

Before Isis could come up with an answer, the man cried out, grabbing at his shoulder where an arrow was lodged into his flesh. He yelled in outrage, barking orders to get the wagon moving to two of his lackeys. The rest of them remained to help find whoever dared to take a turn at them. From somewhere in the trees came more arrows in swift succession, taking down half of the bandits with fatal shots. Isis grabbed at the girls fast.

"Under the wagon! Hide!"

She gasped as a strong arm circled her waist, yanking her back and slinging her around. The dagger came to her neck once again as she found herself pinned in the man's arms.

"Come out, hero! Show yourself lest I cut this servant of God end to end! Fight like a man!"

"And what do you know of manhood?" a voice called from somewhere above them, echoing so its location could not be determined. "Attacking defenseless women and children. Indeed, that is quite the show of bravery!"

"There!"

The bandits turned their guns and fired as a swift blur of darkness moved among the branches, arrows flying in retort, taking down the remaining two and leaving only the leader and the priestess standing. Now the mysterious hero showed himself, landing lightly at the foot of an oak. Isis's eyes widened as the man stood in full view. He was clad in black and crimson leathers from head to toe, his regal bow and full quiver strapped to his back, two daggers clutched in his hands and at the ready. What she found shocking, however, was not the intimidating appearance of her hero, but the only features visible of his face were green eyes that glowed inhumanly along with long pointed ears that stuck up from under the black mask.

"Ah... Now we see why you are a coward that hides in the leaves," the man growled, tightening his grip on her. "Woman, you should be thanking your God right now because it seems that I am actually the hero here. Who knows what this stinking blood elf intends with you and your pretty little girls. No doubt he has been stalking you through the forest."

"I wouldn't normally waste my time on a bunch of ugly human wenches," the elf chuckled, "but if there's one thing I hate more than human women, it's human men... or at least humans masquerading as men."

"You speak English pretty well for an elf. Too bad you say all of the wrong things!"

The dagger at the priestess's throat flew straight and true, but its target was gone in a flash. From behind her she heard the bandit grunt, stumbling forward and shoving her to the ground as he fell. She quickly looked to see that he was dead. The elf bent and pulled his dagger from the man's back, wiping the blood away before sheathing it at his hip. He looked then at her for a moment and back at the girls that still cowered beneath the wagon, staring at him with terror in their eyes.

"I take it you've never seen an elf before?" he laughed, looking back down at Isis. "If I wanted you dead, you would be already, but I have a strong distaste for those who prey upon the helpless."

Isis flinched back slightly as he reached for her, but blinked when he merely held out his hand in offering. Hesitantly, she accepted, getting back to her feet with his help. She had seen night elves before this day, but never had her eyes lain upon the other race of elves. She had heard enough to know they were ruthless and cunning, light on their feet, graceful and yet malicious in their killing. This one, however, had saved their lives. She watched in stunned silence as he moved to each of the fallen bodies, yanking his arrows from their lifeless forms to return to his quiver. The girls crawled out from under the wagon to gather near her, whispering if she was alright and eyeing the elf just as nervously as she. She calmed them and directed them back into the wagon... then approached him as he gathered his final arrow.

"Thank you," she spoke, drawing his attention and noticing that his ears moved. She wondered briefly if he did it or if it was involuntary, but quickly looked back to his eyes as they shimmered down at her. "Thank you very much. Although we might've been left unscathed, all the things that these children own are in this wagon. It would've broken their hearts to have lost it."

Under his mask, Isis could detect a smile as he shook his head. "I think you give them too much credit, Priestess. Those urchins reek of foulness that your innocent mind could never even fathom. You and your children would've indeed been their sins of the evening." She could actually feel the blood drain from her face as she heard his words, something in his tone telling her that somehow he knew it to be true. "In any case, I suggest you hurry to wherever you are headed. Those bandits are from a much larger band that I spotted deeper in the woods on my way through. No doubt they'll be wondering what happened to these fools..."

"Again, I thank you, Elf. Please, let me give you something in return." She opened a pouch tied to her belt, pulling from it a few coins to offer to him. "It's not much, but it comes with deep gratitude."

"It's not necessary," he said politely. "Use your money to buy something for your girls. They could use it after this."

Before she could say another word, the elf hurried off into the trees once again, leaping up into the branches to disappear from sight. Isis marveled another second or so at how easily he blended in, wondering just how effortlessly he could take down the guards on the road with such stealth. A blood elf in Elwynn Forest... Horde infiltration. Was he alone or was he just one of many that had somehow gained access to the wooded area just outside of Stormwind? As she climbed back into the wagon seat, Josephine voiced her exact thoughts.

"Are you going to tell the guards about him, Sister?"

"No..." she paused a moment, but then nodded. "He saved our lives, girls, and in complete selflessness. We can repay him by allowing him to continue his journey unhindered."

"But what if he's a spy or an assassin?" one of the other girls asked. "What if he means to kill the king?"

"He is but one elf, girls. There is no way he alone could penetrate Stormwind's defenses." She reassured them although she was wondering herself after having witnessed him kill six men in mere minutes. "He's probably just a traveler. Not every elf you meet will be a soldier fighting our war, same as not every human is a soldier. So not a word of this event to anyone."

"You may want to hide this then..."

Isis looked as Josephine pulled the dagger from the side of the wagon, the same dagger that had nearly hit her hand. She took it from the girl and tucked it away in her things, wrapped safely with thick leather.

The band of women continued on to Goldshire and then further to arrive in the capital city of Stormwind. It had been nearly a year since Isis had last been within the walls, but nothing had changed. The hustle and bustle of the people crowding the cobblestone streets made her feel trapped. Never the less, she led her small troop through the city easily, remembering the way as she had once traveled it day after day in her own youth. From the Trade District of the city she took a small alley way to the arched passage leading to the canals and over the bridge where young men were fishing. Practicing fishing was more appropriate, though, as the water through the city wasn't safe enough to drink, much less provide life for fish. The only things that lived in the canals were giant sewer beasts, rumored to be mutated lizards that idiotic children sent to watery graves.

"This way, girls. We're nearly there."

Through another archway, Isis led them into Cathedral Square. If they hadn't already gasped and marveled enough in the Valley of Heroes, the girls surely were impressed with this area. She couldn't help but smile, imagining how amazed they would be when they visited the Park and the Mage Quarter and found the entire area still growing fresh grass and covered in trees and flowers. Isis had spent most of her free time there, hiding from the rest of the busy city in hopes of never being found. But she had always been found. She knew that the life in store for these girls was not ideal, but it was without a doubt better than risking an early demise at the hands of a vicious orc or a bloodthirsty undead. She led the girls to the orphanage to deliver them into the caring hands of Matron Nightingale.

"Isis!" she exclaimed with joy at seeing her again. "Oh... Pardon me, _Sister_ Isis," she corrected herself with a teasing smile.

"Patrice," she smiled in return and embraced her dear friend. "It has been a long time, but my work has finally brought me back here. These girls are from Lakeshire and they have lost their families to the war. I brought them here in hopes of a better life."

"Oh... sweet girls." She sighed, but smiled sadly. "I'm very glad to meet all of you. I'm Miss Nightingale and, I suppose, I will be your mother, though, I have no expectations of you to treat me as such or call me as so. I will do my best to care for you and help you begin your own lives here in Stormwind."

"I wanted to stay in Lakeshire," Josephine spoke up, ever the opinionated one.

"As did I when I was your age," Patrice nodded.

"As I wanted to stay in Southshore where I grew up, but sadly life rarely turns out the way you expect or want it to," Isis added.

"Both of you? You were orphans?"

"That's how we know each other. The two of us were raised right here in this very orphanage under my teacher, Matron Christophson. When she passed on, I took her place."

"What will happen to us now?"

Isis listened silently as Patrice began to explain to them about what they could expect from her and what she expected of them in return. Nothing came without a price or a trade, not even life. After a few moments, she politely interrupted and explained to Patrice that she was going to visit some other friends and would meet her at the fountain as they had always done. She then wandered away with a vague smile on her pretty face, wondering how tall the trees in the park had grown and fully intending to find out.

As she made her way through the canals once again, she overheard a great commotion from around the bend ahead of her. She paused and listened, hearing much shouting and panic, then a woman screamed. Isis hurried through the crowd to see what was going on and if she could be of assistance. She was halted short when she smacked right into a man's broad chest as he rushed around the corner in the opposite direction. She heard a familiar voice, but didn't understand the words that were said, looking up...

"You!" her jaw dropped as she saw the green eyes of the blood elf once again. He blinked back at her, seeming to also be shocked and laughed slightly.

"Doral ana'diel?" he asked, his ears twitching slightly.

"I don't underst.."

"Seize him!"

Before either of them could even turn towards the outburst, the guards tackled the elf to the ground, pummeling him mercilessly as he struggled to be free. Isis gasped, drawing back from the sight as blood gushed from the elf's nose and he groaned in pain. Five men were upon him and still he pushed to stand until a sword was put near to his face. He went slack in their grasp, allowing them to pull him to his feet and strip him of his weaponry; the twin daggers that had saved her life, the bow and arrow that had taken the bandit numbers down by over half, along with throwing knives, other small daggers, and what appeared to be a wand hidden among the many layers of leather armor he wore.

"How you made it past the walls I don't know, but you are obviously a fool just like all other Horde wastes that we have put to death here."

As they dragged him away, Isis saw him give one last look over his shoulder at her, and this time she needed no guesswork to read the look on his face or what it meant when those long ears turned completely down. She hurried after them, following them at a safe distance straight to Stormwind Keep along with many others who wanted to see and hear just what was going to happen to the intruder. Isis stood among the crowd listening closely as the guards announced his presence and what they suspected he was doing. They claimed he had come to assassinate King Anduin Wrynn! The sentence for such a crime was death and being that he was Horde, he was not entitled to a fair trial. He was not even entitled to defend himself. Which meant someone else would have to defend him.

"I protest!" Isis spoke out, stepping forward and moving to stand near to the elf. "You can not accuse him of just any crime you wish. You have no idea what he was truly here for!"

"And just what do you propose, woman? That we ask him? Do you honestly suppose that he came here to browse the fruit vendors for a fresh pear?" the high guard scowled at her.

"For a royal guard you have all the manners of an ogre. I believe I've met an ogre who knew how to properly address a priestess!" With that she turned to look at the elf rogue, knowing that he spoke English perfectly well and understood what was going on. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

The elf merely blinked at her, tilting his head slightly as if he had no idea what she was saying to him. "You see, milady? He doesn't understand us. Even if he could speak he would spew nothing but lies."

"This elf saved me and five young girls from a bandit ambush mere hours ago." She blinked as the people around them gasped in surprised, others murmuring that she had to be lying. "A priestess never lies. Dishonesty is a sin!"

"A blood elf saved a group of women from bandits?" the guard asked in disbelief.

"And would not even accept payment for his deed," she added. "The girls will vouch for this, as well. I left them with Matron Nightingale only a few moments ago. You may go there and question all five of them if the word of a priestess is not good enough for you."

She arched a brow at the guard, as if to challenge him on it, but indeed it seemed he was stubborn in his ways and sent a guard to gather the children. Isis sighed and shook her head. Her word was as good as gold and worth much more in its weight. Still, she knew if she was patient and logical that she could get the elf out of trouble just as he had done for her. She looked at him once again, then drew a handkerchief from her belt, moving to gently wipe the blood from his face. Again she heard the murmurs of the crowd as they balked at her helping him, being kind to him, but in her eyes he had already proven himself. Even if he hadn't, he was a living being all the same and didn't deserve to be left to bleed. She whispered quietly to him that everything would be alright as she moved part of his mask aside, intending to clean away the blood that had seeped underneath the cloth.

"Wait!" The head guard barked, reaching around her and snatching the black wrapping from the elf's head. "This blood elf saved your life, priestess? Are you sure he is the same one?"

"Yes! I recognize how he's dressed, the weapons he carries, and the sound of his voice!"

"Do you realize who he is? He is not any ordinary elf. He is Sin."

"Sin...?" she asked, looking at him once again.

It was then that the young priestess realized, with a deep tremor of revulsion, that the man who had rescued her and her wards was none other than the blood elf rogue of legend both local and abroad. As Sin looked down upon her with his glowing emerald eyes, she was reminded of the tales and that one sentence that always seemed to accompany his name that chilled her straight to the bone. "They say that he fights like the devil..." And indeed he had done just that in order to save her life. This man.. This elf was the monster of all children's nightmares. He was the terror that brought women screaming out of their beds for fear of their men out at war being slaughtered by his hand. The maniacal, bloodthirsty retch who could take down entire armies single-handedly. But that thought made Isis furrow her brow.

"If he's Sin then how come it only took five of you to take him down and not the entire army?" She looked up at the guard, hearing some people chuckling as he stuttered. "As I suspected, you can't even tell one elf from the next. They probably all look the same to your prejudiced eyes!"

"And how many elves have you laid your eyes upon, Sister?" he yelled back. "Do you believe that simply because you have gone on a few mercy missions that you can recognize evil when you see it?"

"I can recognize evil in the eyes of any creature, not because of my experience in this world, but because I am pure of heart." She narrowed her eyes up at him. "I know when a man has sinned, _Captain._ You should do well to keep that in mind."

The arch of his brow told Isis that she had hit a mark with that comment. From behind her she heard a low chuckle from the elf, recognizing the low pitch of his voice once again. She turned to look at him, about to challenge him on what he was laughing at if he didn't understand English, but she spotted the returning guards with Patrice and the five girls. This would settle things once and for all. Patrice came to her swiftly, taking her arm as she leaned close.

"Isis, what are you doing? Is it true you are defending the honor of Horde soldier?" she whispered.

"This young man saved me and the girls from bandits on the way here, Patrice. He saved my life and I am trying to repay the debt." She looked at him as Patrice did, seeing him watching her with those keen emerald eyes. She decided that she liked those eyes. "Would you not do the same thing for a fellow human? Or a night elf, a gnome, or dwarf? Even one of the draenei?"

"But they are not Horde warriors, Isis." She bit her lip, finally looking back at her. "This is different."

"I don't see why."

"That's because you're stubborn."

"Yes, I am." She nodded and called to the children. "Girls, tell the Captain what happened to us on the way to Goldshire."

Josephine was, of course, the one to speak up. "We were attacked by a group of bandits wearing red face masks. They were going to take our wagon and everything in it!"

"But that blood elf right there helped us," one of the other girls said, pointing at him.

"He was just in time, too! One of the bandits put a knife to Sister Isis's neck!"

Isis smiled proudly as the girls repeated the incident with even more detail than she herself had provided. "So you see, Captain? I never lie. Now, do you still believe that this elf is your so-called legend? Would Sin ever save helpless women and children and then get captured by small group of guards?"

"Perhaps not..." he grumbled, obviously not proud of being proved wrong in front of an audience. "But never the less, he is still a blood elf, a member of the Horde, and a criminal in this city."

"Just what did you catch him doing anyway?" Isis tilted her head.

"He was caught stealing!"

"Stealing what?" Patrice interjected.

The captain hesitated a moment. "He stole.. fruit from the market vendor and bread from the bakery."

"You were going to kill him because he was hungry?" Josephine asked in disbelief.

Isis smiled at the girl as the crowd also began to laugh at the captain's expense. "Captain, even a mere child can see that you are merely fishing for commendation by pretending to capture and execute the rogue known as Sin. What a dishonorable thing to do. Whatever the elf stole, I will pay for and then you may let him go."

"Really? So are you, Sister Isis, saying that you will take full responsibility for the release of this thief?" he asked, speaking loud enough for all to hear.

"Yes. I intend to repay him for what he did for me. I take responsibility."

The captain chuckled. "Very well then. Arrange for the release of the prisoner. Sister Isis will be the one to lead the group back to Silvermoon City!"

"What?!" Isis gasped, her jaw dropping.

"Did you not say you take full responsibility?" he looked back down at her. "The few times that we do release Horde prisoners, we escort them to their capital cities in order to prevent them from further terrorizing our lands. You and two emissaries along with four soldiers will travel to Silvermoon City and be sure that this thief is delivered to his superiors. So you had better pack your bags, Sister!"

With that, the captain turned on his heel and walked away, returning to his post. The guards holding the elf captive pulled him along towards the prison while another came to Isis to brief her on what she needed to bring with her and when they would be leaving. She listened in a bit of a daze, surprised at how easily the captain had duped her and successfully forced her out of the city. Obviously it was payment for making a fool of him before the people. She frowned deeply, looking in the direction the elf had been taken. Was he truly worth such trouble? She sighed and nodded to herself, starting away. A life is worth any trouble so long as it is the life of a good soul. She believed in the very depths of her heart that he was a good person.

**DISCLAIMER:** World of Warcraft and all associated concepts are property of Blizzard. I stake no claim over any of their awesome ideas.

**SPECIAL THANKS:** To Jesper, for being such a perfect, living muse; always inspiring me by simply being himself.


	2. Chapter 2

**A Life of Sin  
By Archangel**

**_Chapter Two_**  
He squinted his eyes as a line of sunlight came across his face, growing wider as the door was pushed open. He lifted his head as figures came toward him. Silently, they released the cuffs from his wrists and dropped him unceremoniously to the cold stone floor. Such treatment meant nothing to him, as he was used to it, but his body ached from being suspended by his wrists the entire night. They gave him no moment of rest, simply dragging him to his feet and forcing him out of the cell and through the dungeon back the way he had been shoved the night prior. Once in the courtyard again, his eyes beginning to adjust to the day, he saw that two small wagons were already set up for the trip to Silvermoon. Two humans, a man and a woman, were packing a few things into the first wagon. He assumed that they were the emissaries the captain of the guards had mentioned.

"Here comes our fearless heroine..." a guard muttered.

"For a woman of the cloth, she sure is a bitch."

He turned to look, spotting the priestess as she came towards them. He was a bit surprised by her appearance. The day prior she had been wearing flowing white robes accented in pastel colors, much like any other priest or priestess would wear, with her pale blond hair pulled up into a pile on the top of her head. Today was a completely different woman. She was dressed in simple clothes and her nearly white hair was pushed back from her face with a headband, left free to tumble down her back.

When he had first spotted her and the children in the woods less than twenty-four hours ago, he had thought nothing of them. He merely followed because it made his own trip easier, if not slower, but he had been ready for a rest by that point. For some reason that he couldn't explain, he simply couldn't travel onward when he knew that the females would be stripped of their belongings, their safety, and upon catching the reek of blood and sex on the males, he had known they would be stripped of their innocence and dignity as well. He still hadn't quite decided if intervening had been a good idea. On one hand, the women were safe, but then on the other he had been a fool to stop and ask if she was alright after they'd run into each other the second time. If he had kept going, he could've easily avoided capture, but once again there she had been and she had succeeded at keeping him alive.

He growled when he was abruptly shoved forward towards the second wagon, orders being barked at him to move his feet and to climb up into the wagon.

"Put him in the seat next to me, gentlemen," the priestess spoke up.

"What? Sister, are you mad? He could take the reigns."

"He won't do that so long as I'm sitting beside him. If you put him in the back it will be more difficult to keep an eye on him. Help him up there. He can't do it himself with the way you've got him all chained up."

The guards looked at one another and back at her, but her expression was one that said she was not to be questioned. With a little assistance, he was sitting on the bench seat of the wagon, his chains anchored to the wood to prevent him from jumping off and running away. He sighed to himself and watched the continued loading down of the wagons, keeping an eye out for the rest of his armor and his weapons. He knew that Elwynn Forest was not the ideal place for an escape since, no doubt, word had spread quickly of a blood elf being captured. The plan was for the Red ridge Mountains, just past Lakeshire, which was the only Alliance outpost in that region. If one could still call that place an outpost at all. It had once been a growing village and was now reduced to barely anything because of the presence of the Horde.

His thoughts were interrupted when the priestess... Isis was her name... climbed up beside him.

"Hello again, elf," she greeted him with a smile.

"Sinu a'manore," he nodded.

"You're not going to play stupid on me once again, are you? It's a long trip to Silvermoon and I was hoping for conversation."

"No," he smirked. "I just enjoy my native language... and confusing people."

"You do seem to be quite the troublemaker, but you can just as easily get someone out of trouble it seems."

He looked at her, seeing her smile to be warm and genuine, an obvious repeat of her thankful gesture from the day before. He nodded in understanding and returned the smile before glancing around once again to watch the others and look for the weaponry confiscated from him. They had all but stripped him bare in the searching, leaving nothing on him but a light undershirt, his pants, and his boots. Though, they had even taken those away from him at first in order to search for more weapons. They'd actually had the nerve to give him a lashing just for carrying extra throwing knives in his boots and another small dagger in a sheath strapped to his calf. He had no doubt that most of his smaller items were stolen by the guards along with his gold.

"Those coldhearted men beat you, didn't they?" He jumped slightly when he felt her warm hands on his bare skin, looking back at her. She was peering underneath the back of his shirt at the slices from the whip. "And for no viable reason I'm guessing."

"Because I had weapons concealed throughout my clothing, Priestess," he answered. "Being an elf alone is reason enough, however."

"These wounds need to be tended to before we leave. You're still bleeding."

"I'm fine."

"The scent of your blood could cause trouble if any predators catch wind of it," she said more firmly.

"You don't hear me complaining about the scent coming off of you," he growled quietly, meeting her eyes. "You can't exactly stop that, though... Or can you?"

She blinked at him with wide blue eyes, her fair cheeks flushing with color at her embarrassment. "You.. you can...?"

"I can. We have keener senses than humans." He smirked. "Are you sure you want me sitting next to you now, Priestess?"

"Pervert."

She scowled and crossed her legs, turning herself to front so she didn't have to look at him, and he couldn't help but laugh outright. Perhaps this trip wasn't going to be completely void of entertainment after all. He enjoyed making women blush, though usually under completely different premises, but hearing her insult him was even more enjoyable because she was supposed to be kind and understanding to all creatures. He wondered if he would hear her pray for forgiveness later on, or perhaps her prayers would be to save his damned soul somewhere between Stormwind and Silvermoon.

"Ah... There are my things," he muttered as he spotted his bow and quiver among a few other parcels being placed in the wagon ahead of them.

"That's the last of it! Let's get out of here!"

"Well, it's about damn time," answered one of the emissaries, quickly turning his eyes up to Isis. "Oh... forgive me, Sister.

She giggled. "Damnation does have some holy reference, Curt. I'll forgive you this time."

The elf watched as the rather large, muscular man smirked and came over to the wheel of the wagon, standing up on it so he could speak to her easier. The two of them conversed, mostly about the impending journey, but he noticed a familiarity between them. They knew each other as friends. This was surprising to him considering that he was working with him. He had been lucky enough to avoid being seen exiting Curt's home before the guards spotted him taking a bite of the freshly baked bread Curt's wife had given to him. His inside contact was an associate of the priestess that he had rescued. What were the odds? And furthermore, what implications could it have when he made his escape.

"So if this rotten beast gives you any trouble," Curt said as he jabbed a finger in the elf's shoulder, "you just let me know and I'll be sure to crop those big ears."

Said ears twitched slightly before folding back more against the side of his head. "Kim'jael..." he growled, knowing he knew what it meant.

"Thought you said he spoke English?" Curt looked again to Isis.

"He does, but he's moody... and for good reason I'm guessing."

Curt snorted and shook his head, jumping back to the ground and heading for the other wagon, casting a glance over his shoulder at the elf with a smirk. Perhaps the priestess beside him would read it as arrogance, but he knew that was his way of letting him know all would go as planned despite this problem. They had planned for this at Curt's insistence. "Always have a backup plan in case the first one goes wrong," he had said. He couldn't help but wonder if he'd had some sort of premonition, or maybe it was the fact that things never seemed to go perfectly to plan.

"So, cranky elf, what is your name?" Isis asked as the wagons began forward.

"Just call me Sin."

She gave a small squeak of amusement. "You don't honestly expect me to believe that you're _the_ Sin? The one of legend?" She glanced at him. "If you were Sin, you wouldn't have been captured so easily."

"What makes you think I was captured?" He looked back at her. "Maybe this is just part of a very elaborate scheme to kidnap a priestess and use her as a virgin sacrifice to my evil Horde-affiliated Gods."

"Well, I'd have to say your plan is a failure from the start."

"Why? You're not a virgin?" He smirked.

"You pervert!" she snapped, getting him to laugh once again. "Honestly, didn't your mother ever teach you not to speak in such a manner in the presence of a lady? Much less a lady of the cloth!"

"I'm a bastard child who never knew his mother, so no, I'm lacking in those mannerisms," he countered.

She went quiet again at that statement. Why did he tell her that? Not that it mattered or not what she knew of him and he could always say that he was lying later on if something came of it. It was the truth, however, and he wasn't sure just why he had blurted out such honesty. He looked at her from the corner of his eye, seeing her cheeks were pink once again. At least the virgin joke had worked.

"Very well." She said a few moments later. "Sin it is."

Although she had expressed a desire for conversation, Isis remained mostly quiet as the wagon party began it's long trip out of Stormwind's gates. Sin looked up at the walls over his shoulder, musing over how easy it had been to merely scale the low-lying mountains on the east end of the wall and drop down into the valley below without detection. If the humans had any idea how vulnerable they were... He faced to the front again and stared out into the forest, watching the deer bound through the underbrush, catching the occasional glimpse of the large forest spiders that fed upon the rabbits. His mind wandered to Silvermoon, where this unlikely crew believed they were taking him, and the stark difference between Elwynn and Eversong Forests. There were no lions here, nor were there dragonhawks. On the other hand, there were no Scourge skeletons and zombies either. Sin definitely did not miss those vile creatures.

All too soon they passed through Goldshire, making their way towards the west, past an abandoned lookout tower, past the logging village. The further they traveled, the more scarce the trees became, leaving large patches of sun shining down without shade to ease the heat. The grass slowly turned yellow and then brown before dying off all together. Beneath it was revealed the reddish dirt that Redridge was named for. The last of the Stormwind patrol waved to them as they passed through Three Corners on their way towards Lakeshire.

In the front wagon, Curt turned in his seat to look back at him, giving a barely noticeable nod while waving to Isis. She snickered slightly and waved back, shaking her head.

"He is a strange one," she muttered.

Sin didn't voice his agreement, but he did smile a little. Again he wondered just how long the time of them had been friends. Would Curt have any qualms about what was to take place because of Isis being here? The front wagon pulled to a stop, causing the guards to come alert.

"Why are you stopping?" one of them asked, riding up to the front wagon.

"I'm sorry! I know we're nearly to Lakeshire, but I just can't wait any longer! Nature calls!"

The guard protested, but Curt paid no heed, jumping to the ground and hurrying towards the bushes. "You go right ahead and chase after him!" one of the other guards spoke up. "I'm not following!"

"I hate escort missions," muttered the guard that had tried to stop him.

Sin smirked a bit at that, but then looked at Isis. "Is this collar cutting into my neck? It feels like it is?"

Isis blinked, leaning to inspect him as he craned his head for her to see. He had rubbed the metal against his flesh purposely the entire trip and it was now raw and seeping a slight bit of blood. He kept his expression blank as she played perfectly into their game, unlocking the collar so that she could attempt to adjust it. Sin shoved her away, yanking the length of chain to pull the bolt out of the wagon seat. He leapt from the wagon, quickly whirling the collar over his head as his only weapon, watching as the guards drew their swords and started after him. However, he made no attempt to run away. He stood his ground, expertly swinging the chain to swipe the legs of one horse out, dumping it and its rider. He narrowly dodged the whistling sword over his head, whipping around and hitting the soldier in the back of his helmet with the heavy collar, successfully knocking him out. Behind him he heard a loud crack and a yell of pain, turning to see Curt was retaliating on his behalf already.

"Get my gear!" he yelled, hurriedly getting himself out of the rest of the shackles before claiming one of the guard's horses as his own.

"Sin!"

He moved to answer the call, his eyes going wide at the sight of the sword coming down towards his face, but it stopped abruptly with a golden light crackling around him. Sin blinked in confusion, as did the soldier.

"A shield?"

"Didn't count on that one, did you?" Sin smirked, giving a fierce kick to the man's face and snatching the sword out of his hand, impaling him straight through the chest. "Curt! Move your wide arse!"

"Thanks for the show of gratitude," Curt growled as he tossed Sin his bow and quiver, the daggers following. "I couldn't find your armor or all your knives."

"Just as well, I want new ones anyway." Sin mumbled, looking back towards the wagons, seeing Isis standing there watching them. "Thanks for saving me again, Priestess! Nothing personal!"

He laughed to himself as he mounted the horse he had stolen, taking off at full gallop towards the safety of Duskwood with Curt by his side. Duskwood was contested territory. So long as they avoided the city of Darkshire, which was a human outpost, they would have no trouble passing through and on to Dead Wind Pass. There would be no more worries of capture once they were there and the rest of the journey to their destination would be simple, if not long.

"Hey," Curt spoke up. "We have company."

Sin looked over his shoulder, spotting another horse following them. "Is that the damned priestess?"

"It is. She's a hard-headed woman."

"You're friends with her?"

"Not exactly. Merely an acquaintance. I've attended church before." Sin looked at him with an arched brow. "A few times... mostly on holidays..."

"I don't even know you!"

"Don't be an ass!" Curt looked back once again. "We should stop, though. She won't give up."

"And what do you propose? That we just calmly explain to her everything that we have planned and expect her to understand?"

"Well, why not? That's what you did when you met me!"

Sin blinked and slowed down. "Point noted, my friend, but are you positive that she can be trusted?"

"She saved you from being beheaded despite the fact that you were killing soldiers," Curt said, slowing to a stop with him and looking back as Isis caught up to them. "I believe, if anyone can be, a woman of the cloth can be trusted."

"And what of shadow priests and priestesses?" Sin pointed out.

"Don't change the subject." Isis slowed to a trot not far from them, looking at the two of them unsurely as she approached. It was an awkward situation without a doubt. Sin and Curt looked at each other a moment, Sin nodding him on. "Sister Isis, why have you followed us?"

She sighed, "Where shall I being to answer such a question?" She shook her head. "First of all, I was charged with the task of taking that murderous elf to Silvermoon City. He is my responsibility. Secondly..." She paused again. "Secondly, I.. What on earth just happened? Curt, what are you doing? Are you a betrayer to the Alliance?"

"I have betrayed no one, Sister. There are other affiliations that are more important than the Alliance. I have a responsibility to the safety of Azeroth."

"The two of you just killed four innocent creatures in Azeroth. What of their safety?" she demanded.

"The needs of the many, Sister! You know that sometimes sacrifices happen and decisions must be made quickly if we are to survive. Believe me or not, but I am not a betrayer of anything and Sin is an ally, not an enemy as his reputation makes him out to be."

Isis blinked, looking from Curt to the blood elf. "Then... You truly are Sin? The heartless rogue of the stories that give children nightmares?"

"The funny thing about legends, Priestess," Sin explained, "is that they become more and more fantastical each time they are retold. If you were to listen to a fairy tale about me in Silvermoon, I would be portrayed as a great hero, fighting with honor and fairness for the glory of the Sin'Dorei." He snorted. "Believe me, I am neither hero nor fiend. I am merely doing what must be done."

"This explains why it was so easy for you to gain access to Stormwind... and why it's easy for you to kill without mercy," she frowned.

"Priestess, take yourself back to the wagons and wait for someone to come save you as I did just yesterday. Go back to your fantasy that Stormwind is impenetrable at that someone like me is truly the greatest threat to your faultless nation." Sin snapped, then looked at Curt. "We have no need of more baggage."

Curt blinked as Sin turned his mount and started off down the path once again, sighing and looking to Isis. "If I were you, I would do exactly as he says, Sister Isis. I apologize for you being involved, but where we are going is no place for a lady."

"And what of my responsibility?" she asked.

"Merely a ploy by that arrogant captain of the guards. You made a fool of him and now you shall be made a fool of in return." Curt started to leave, but a second thought came to him. "Why did you defend Sin in the first place? Why were you so determined to keep him safe, even when watching him kill the guards just now?"

"Because..." she began, but then stopped, looking down as if thinking deeply. "I can not believe my own intuitions. He is Sin... and yet even with that knowledge, my heart is telling me that he is a good man. He's someone that should not... Someone that can not die. He seems... important somehow."

"Female intuition has never made sense to me, Sister." He shrugged. "I can do little to stop you, as I won't threaten your life, but Sin just might if he is determined that you should not be allowed with us. If you're going to follow, I would do so at a great distance."

With that, Curt took his leave of her, spurring his mount ahead to catch up to his companion. Isis shook her head, covering her face with one hand as her thoughts jumbled with her emotions. She turned the horse to head back, knowing the other emissary was still there and no doubt frightened, but her chest tightened. She looked back into the shadowy depths of Duskwood, seeing the spider webs dangling thick from the branches, knowing firsthand the treacherous paths.

"Oh, don't be so foolish," she scolded herself. "Mere spiders won't kill him. He killed off six bandits in mere moments. He laid waste to armored guards with only a little assistance from Curt and I. Dear Lord, forgive me, I helped him to kill those men." She whimpered, biting her lower lip. She was worried about what her heart was telling her. "Always follow your heart..."

She turned the horse back around, setting to a swift trot after the two men, with one hand on the reigns and her other hand on one of Sin's throwing knives in her belt.

**DISCLAIMER:** World of Warcraft and all associated concepts are property of Blizzard. I stake no claim over any of their awesome ideas.

**SPECIAL THANKS:** To Jesper, for being such a perfect, living muse; always inspiring me by simply being himself.


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